Miami Is Set To Get Electric Seaglider Service To The Caribbean
Surf Air Mobility has partnered with REGENT to bring electric seagliders to South Florida, including Miami.
based companies, electric seaglider manufacturer REGENT and the regional air mobility platform Surf Air Mobility, have announced they have partnered to bring electric seaglider travel options from Miami, Florida. The service promises to bring transport services from several points in Southern Florida to the Caribbean Islands.
According to the announcement, around nine million people travel through the region annually by air, ferry, rail, and car. The seaglider service could address a market of around 1.5 million passengers per year, with the flights connecting coastal destinations with major transportation hubs, including Miami International Airport (MIA) and PortMiami, the city’s seaport located at the mouth of the Miami River. Stan Little, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Surf Air Mobility, said,
Little also pointed out that with Surf Air leveraging its platform and REGENT providing the company with electric seagliders, both companies “can unlock new routes along Florida’s coastal corridors” to complement Surf Air’s current network.
REGENT will deliver Viceroy seagliders to Mokulele Airlines, a subsidiary of Southern Airways, which was recently acquired by Surf Air Mobility. According to the manufacturer, the aircraft seats 12 passengers and has a range of up to 160 nautical miles (300 kilometers) while cruising at 160 knots (300 kilometers per hour).
Billy Thalheimer, the co-founder and CEO of REGENT, remarked that he was “thrilled” to have Surf Air as a partner in Southern Florida, with the executive adding that public leaders and infrastructure providers match the two companies’ shared vision for sustainable transportation in Miami. Oliver Gilbert, the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners in Miami-Dade County, noted,
Gilbert also pointed out that adding an electric seaglider service will only grow the state’s and region’s economies, becoming a model for other metro areas to promote advanced mobility technologies.
According to the manufacturer, REGENT’s Viceroy Seaglider, currently its only product in development, exclusively operates over water. The aircraft can operate in three modes: hull, hydrofoil, or flight in ground effect. While the range is currently limited by battery technology, the manufacturer noted that new developments could bring the potential range of the Viceroy to up to 400 NM (740.8 km).
According to REGENT, the electric seaglider is scheduled to enter service in 2025, with full-scale prototypes scheduled to begin testing by 2024. In addition to passenger services, the Viceroy is also fit to transport cargo – with the company pointing out the seaglider’s quick cabin changes – as well as tourists on visual tours and transportation to offshore rigs. In addition, REGENT envisions the Viceroy in air ambulance and defense missions within the military, with the latter benefiting from a “low-signature flight” profile and being a sensor and communications relay.
Meanwhile, Surf Air Mobility, based in Los Angeles, the US, is focused on expanding regional mobility within the country. The operator of the largest commuter airline in the US is also aiming to reduce the cost and environmental impact of regional mobility, with the company aiming to develop powertrain technology with its partners to electrify its existing fleet of aircraft.
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